Dragonwar Saga
fantasy
Series · fantasy
Heir Duology
The Heir Duology series by Sabaa Tahir has 2 known books (1 published; 1 announced) and is best read in publication order, starting with Heir (2024). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Heir. The next announced book, Empire, is due 22 September 2026.
- Books
- 2 known books (2 novels)
- Published
- 1
- Announced
- 1
- First published
- 2024
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: Heir (2024) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series. Announced future books are marked below.
- Book 1:
Heir
Heir is the novel that opens Heir Duology, Sabaa Tahir's series, first published in 2024. It's followed in the reading order by Empire, the only other book in the series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Heir - Book 2:
Empire
Empire is the 2nd entry in Heir Duology, by Sabaa Tahir, due 2026-09-22. In the reading order it follows Heir. Concludes the duology. Not yet released as of this curation pass (August 2026); page count and cover not yet available.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Empire
About the Heir Duology series
Heir returns Sabaa Tahir to the world of An Ember in the Ashes roughly twenty years after that quartet's ending, with an entirely new cast confronting the Empire's ruins. Aiz is a lowborn orphan and thief driven by vengeance against the empire that destroyed her family; Sirsha is an exiled tracker taking on the kind of job that could get her killed; and Quil is the crown prince, a reluctant heir who wants no part of the throne he's about to inherit. A mysterious, escalating string of massacres pulls the three of them together across a fractured, still-scarred continent, forcing alliances none of them wants and romance none of them planned for.
Tahir builds Heir as accessible to readers new to this world -- prior knowledge of An Ember in the Ashes isn't required, though longtime fans will spot Easter eggs and see the political and magical fallout of the original quartet's ending playing out a generation later. The duology trades Ember's dual-narrator structure for a wider three-person rotating point of view and leans further into romantasy pacing, while keeping Tahir's signature unflinching violence and morally compromised characters.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in Sabaa Tahir's Heir Duology?
Two: Heir (2024) and Empire (2026), which concludes the story.
Do I need to read An Ember in the Ashes before Heir?
No. Heir is set about twenty years after An Ember in the Ashes with a new cast and is written to stand on its own, though it includes Easter eggs for readers of the earlier quartet.
Who are the main characters in Heir?
Three rotating narrators: Aiz, a vengeful orphan; Sirsha, an exiled tracker; and Quil, the Empire's reluctant crown prince.
When does Empire, the second Heir Duology book, come out?
Empire is scheduled for September 22, 2026, concluding the duology.
Is Heir connected to An Ember in the Ashes?
Yes -- it's set in the same world roughly two decades after the quartet's ending, though it follows entirely new protagonists rather than continuing Laia and Elias's story directly.
If you like the Heir Duology series
Reading order last verified .